Apparatus for treating strands



May 25, 1943. v. A. RAYBURN 2,320,246

APPARATUS FOR TREATING STRANDS Filed Sept. 7, 1940 s a4 a7 .37

FIG. 2

I pnea x mm 75 J5 *1 rrarse LEVEL lNVENTO/P v.4. RAVEURN A TTOR/VEY Patented May 25, 1943 2,320,246 APPARATUS FOR TREATING STRANDS Vincent A. Rayburn, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 7, 1940, Serial No. 355,879

9 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for treating a strand and more particularly to an apparatus for smoothing or polishing weatherproofed conductors.

In applying weatherproofing material to a rubber and textile covered wire the application of these materials does not always leave the resulting product in a uniform and smooth condition, and therefore it is desirable to smooth or polish the conductor after the application of the weatherproofing materials.

An object of the present invention is to provide an effective and efficient apparatus for smoothing or polishing conductors or the like.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus is provided in which a plurality of wiping dies is displaced angularly about'the conductor and spaced longitudinally along the'conductor to smooth the surface of a conductor under water.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of an apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the apparatus;

'Fig. 3 is a sectional view'taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

.Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the upper die elements;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the lower die elements; and

Fig. G'is another detail 'view of the die element shown in Fig. 5.

The invention will be described in connection with the weatherproofing of a rubber and textile covered conductor, although only the polishing or wiping apparatus is disclosed herein.

In weatherproofing a rubber and textile covered conductor, the conductor is in some cases first passed through a bath of an asphalt saturant to saturate the textile material. The conductor is then passed through a bath of stearin pitch and the excess material is removed. Thereafter the conductor is usually passed through a quantity of powdered talc, mica, or other similar material, to reduce the stickiness of the surface. From this treatment the conductor is passed into the smoothing or polishing apparatus disclosed herein.

This apparatus may comprise a tank 1 having a shelf 8 upon which the smoothing apparatus is mounted. Underneath the shelf 8 is a distributing chamber 9 having an inlet pipe ll through which water is admitted to the chamber and from the chamber the water passes through a plurality of apertures l2 in the shelf 8. The

. polishing apparatus comprisesa base l3 having apertures which coincide with the apertures l2 in the shelf 8. At the ends of base l3 are end walls l4 and I5 having slots therein for the passage of conductors and forming in effect weirs, the water flowing continuously through the slots in the end wallsiinto the tank I, from which it may drain through an overflow'pipe l6. Mounted upon the base I3, and preferably integral therewith, are a plurality of die holders ll, preferably of an even number and shown in the drawing as four in number. The lower die holders have dies l8 and i9 mounted therein held in place by set screws. One of the lower dies i9 is shown in Fig. 5. These dies are provided with slots 2| of such a size as to engage the wire on three sides, and one lip 22 of a die is madelonger than the other so as to hold the conductor more securely therein when the dies are angularly mounted in the die holders. i

The dies are similarly shaped at both ends so that when one end becomes worn the other end may be used. Each of the dies is provided with a sloping leading end 23 so that when a knot or splice reaches the die the knot or splice will ride up on the sloping surface, moving the conductor out of the slot so as to allow the knot or splice to pass without tearing the wire. The dies l8 and I9 are identical except that one is an inverted image of the other. The reason for this is that the dies are mounted as shown in-Fig. 3 angularly displaced from each other. This will cause the longer lip 22 of each die to lie adjacent the lower side of the conductor to prevent the conductor from being forced completely out of the die when a knot or splice passes.

As stated above, the lower dies l8 and is are longitudinally displaced along the length of the conductor, and between a set of stationary dies l8 and IS a movable die 3| is disposed which is also at an angle of 120 to each of the dies i3 and IS. The die 3| is also provided with a slot 32, but the lips of this die are differently shaped than the lips of the dies I8 and I9, because this die is intended to exert a downward pressure on the conductors. The dies 3i are held in die holders 33 carried by bell crank arms 34 which are pivotally mounted on a. bar 35 by stub shafts 36. The bar 35 is provided with a plurality of eyelets 31 to which a spring 38 is attached, the opposite end of the spring being attached to one arm of the bell crank lever 34 to continuously urge the upper dies 3| against the conductor, causing the conductor to move in a slightly tortuous path. One end of bar 35 is bifurcated, as shown at 4|, to engage a pin 42 in the end Wall l4, thereby pivotally and. removably mounting the bar on the pin 42. The opposite end of bar 35 is provided with an enlargement 44 which engages against the inner side of end wall l5, whereby the bar is held against longitudinal movement while in operative position. The latter end of the bar may also be provided with a handle 45 projecting through a slot in the end wall for lifting the upper dies away from the conductor for threading a conductor into the machine. The dies are preferably made of cast iron containing approximately 3% of nickel. that when these dies are made of steel they tend to become gummed and clogged. By making the dies of cast iron this defect is eliminated and the small amount of nickel is added to the cast iron tov increase the hardnessandwearing properties of the diet In operation of the apparatus the; wire coming from the talc or mica applicator is still warm, since the asphalt and stearin pitch are applied in a heated condition. By passing the weatherproof conductor into the water bath and immediately wiping and smoothing the surface, an effective polishis appliedthereto, working the talc or other coating material into the surface of the conductor, and at the same time the water prevents the diesfrom. becoming fouled andclogged.

It will be understood that the nature and embodiment of the invention herein described are merely illustrative andv that many changes and modifications may be made thereinwithoutl departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for treating a strandcomprising a plurality of dies-eachadapted to partially surround a strand, said dies being angularlyvand.

longitudinally disposed with respect to eachother to collectively surround the strand, and means for advancing a-strand through said dies.

2. An apparatus for treating strand material.

comprising a pairof stationary dies angularly disposedrelative to-eachother and longitudinally displaced, a-movable die angularly disposed with respectto said first-mentioned dies-and located longitudinally therebetween for urging a strand against said dies, and means for advancing a strand through said dies.

3. Anapparatusfor treatinga strand comprising a plurality of grooved dies angularly and It has been found longitudinally spaced around and along the path of a strand to collectively surround the strand, means operating on one of said dies for yieldingly engaging a strand in said grooves, and means for advancing a strand through said grooves.

4. An apparatus for treating strand material comprising a pair of stationary dies displaced substantially 120 around the path of a conductor, and spaced longitudinally of said path, a movable third die spaced substantially 120 from said first mentioned dies and longitudinally located between said dies, means for yieldingly urging said movable die toward said path to engage a strand between said dies, and means for advancing a strand through said dies.

5. An apparatus for treating strand material comprising a pair of lower dies having grooves formed between two lips, the lower lip of said dies being longer than the upper lip, a third die located above said dies having a groove, and means for yieldingly urging said third die toward a strand to engage the strand with the. lower,

dies.

6. An apparatus for treating strand material coated with asphaltic material comprising a tank; a pair of dies. angularly mounted on the base of said tank, azthird die for urgingla strand,

against" said first mentioneddies, and means for submerging said strand in water during: the;

treating operation.

'7. An apparatus for treating, strand material,

comprising" a plurality of dies; angularly and longitudinally disposed with respect to eachother:

to collectively surrounda strand, means for advancing said strand through the dies, and means forurgingthe dies'relatively toward the pathot the strand.

8. An apparatus for treatingstrand material,. comprising a pair or dies longitudinally disposed,

with respect to each other and'each havinga slot therein for engaging. a strand onvapproximately half I ofits. circumference, said; dies each having 9. An apparatus for treating strand material,

comprising alseries. of alternate stationary'and movable dies, said dies being angularly and longitudinally disposed with respect to each. other,

whereby the movable dies urge a strand passing:

between the series of dies into contacttwith'the stationary dies.

VINCENT A. RAYBU'RN. 

